Virtual Quilting Weekend—October 8-11, 2021
10-09-2021, 04:12 AM
#21
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Ohio
Posts: 2,991
So today has been productive and then not so productive, lol.
I got everything cut down and ready while my fiancé was out hunting mushrooms, I think I got through it all in about an hour, which I think is pretty good. Which, a huge thank you to everyone that suggested a 60mm rotary cutter during the last VQW, I bought one in the middle of last month and cannot believe the difference, no hand or wrist fatigue and I was slicing through multiple layers like a hot knife to butter!
Picture is of three Maple Leaves, nine more to go. That has been the other productive part, finally having my scant 1/4" figured out on my sewing machine made it such a joy to be sewing again. I also used Karen Brown's hack of putting a ledge of masking tape on my machine, I never in a million years would have thought it was going to make that big of a difference, I wish I had tried it sooner.
My only problem today has been an error in the pattern that I did not catch this time, I really need to figure out how best to fix the pattern in the book because I have at least four more of these table quilts to make in the future. In the middle of the 12 Maple Leaves there are four blocks of Hour Glasses - each block has four, for a total of 16. I know that my 1/4" is accurate because my Maple Leaves are measuring out to 12.5", what the book says all the blocks are supposed to be. Sadly though, the Hour Glasses are not coming up to 12.5", it's more like 12.25", so I'm a quarter inch off. The book says to start off with 7 1/4" squares and use the two at a time method to make the blocks, but shouldn't the squares be 7 1/2"? Can any ladies that has their math brains up and running help me out? I don't want to keep making this mistake, especially with as many as I have in the future.
I'm leaving the Hour Glasses alone for now because I have to figure out how best to fix this. Should I tear them down and do a scant 1/8", or should I take the remaining fat quarters I have from the bundle, add some Muslin fat quarters and remake them after the correction on the pattern is done?
I'm all confoozled - lol!
I got everything cut down and ready while my fiancé was out hunting mushrooms, I think I got through it all in about an hour, which I think is pretty good. Which, a huge thank you to everyone that suggested a 60mm rotary cutter during the last VQW, I bought one in the middle of last month and cannot believe the difference, no hand or wrist fatigue and I was slicing through multiple layers like a hot knife to butter!
Picture is of three Maple Leaves, nine more to go. That has been the other productive part, finally having my scant 1/4" figured out on my sewing machine made it such a joy to be sewing again. I also used Karen Brown's hack of putting a ledge of masking tape on my machine, I never in a million years would have thought it was going to make that big of a difference, I wish I had tried it sooner.
My only problem today has been an error in the pattern that I did not catch this time, I really need to figure out how best to fix the pattern in the book because I have at least four more of these table quilts to make in the future. In the middle of the 12 Maple Leaves there are four blocks of Hour Glasses - each block has four, for a total of 16. I know that my 1/4" is accurate because my Maple Leaves are measuring out to 12.5", what the book says all the blocks are supposed to be. Sadly though, the Hour Glasses are not coming up to 12.5", it's more like 12.25", so I'm a quarter inch off. The book says to start off with 7 1/4" squares and use the two at a time method to make the blocks, but shouldn't the squares be 7 1/2"? Can any ladies that has their math brains up and running help me out? I don't want to keep making this mistake, especially with as many as I have in the future.
I'm leaving the Hour Glasses alone for now because I have to figure out how best to fix this. Should I tear them down and do a scant 1/8", or should I take the remaining fat quarters I have from the bundle, add some Muslin fat quarters and remake them after the correction on the pattern is done?
I'm all confoozled - lol!
https://www.generations-quilt-patter...ilt-block.html
https://www.scrapish.com/hourglass-quilt-block.html
10-09-2021, 06:19 AM
#22
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Greater Peoria, IL -- just moved!
Posts: 6,165
RRsBrat 
Hourglass/Quarter Square units can be awful... they are one of the times I do my cut/sew large and trim down technique, which doesn't help the ones you've already made. So, I haven't actually tried it but by my first look at what I think you want done, I think I'd be coming up a bit scant too at 7.25. I'd start with a square at least 7.5, maybe even 7.75. With the idea that you are making four 6.5" units, the basic math for a 1/4" seam and how much to add for a triangle is 7/8ths, which you round up to 1" which makes for some (but not enough for me) extra. Keep in mind, that there are two sides to a seam so any extra we sew or cut is multiplied even if it seems tiny to us.
Glad your tape worked! On my old vintage machine many many years ago, I used a child's fancy bandage to mark my seam allowance. The bump of the bandage pad (which was still a couple inches from the foot/markings on the plate) was enough to keep the fabric in line. I just grab what for me is a handy bit of graph paper to get that exact width/distance.
As for me, I did get the quilting I got done yesterday undone yesterday, but that's as far as I got. Am now fortified with coffee and about to enter the sewing room again to put in the correct bobbin and re-adjust my thread tension and begin again.
edit: Forgot to add this link, I thought it was a pretty good discussion on the QST:
https://www.bonjourquilts.com/quarter-square-triangles/
Hourglass/Quarter Square units can be awful... they are one of the times I do my cut/sew large and trim down technique, which doesn't help the ones you've already made. So, I haven't actually tried it but by my first look at what I think you want done, I think I'd be coming up a bit scant too at 7.25. I'd start with a square at least 7.5, maybe even 7.75. With the idea that you are making four 6.5" units, the basic math for a 1/4" seam and how much to add for a triangle is 7/8ths, which you round up to 1" which makes for some (but not enough for me) extra. Keep in mind, that there are two sides to a seam so any extra we sew or cut is multiplied even if it seems tiny to us.Glad your tape worked! On my old vintage machine many many years ago, I used a child's fancy bandage to mark my seam allowance. The bump of the bandage pad (which was still a couple inches from the foot/markings on the plate) was enough to keep the fabric in line. I just grab what for me is a handy bit of graph paper to get that exact width/distance.
As for me, I did get the quilting I got done yesterday undone yesterday, but that's as far as I got. Am now fortified with coffee and about to enter the sewing room again to put in the correct bobbin and re-adjust my thread tension and begin again.
edit: Forgot to add this link, I thought it was a pretty good discussion on the QST:
https://www.bonjourquilts.com/quarter-square-triangles/
Last edited by Iceblossom; 10-09-2021 at 06:21 AM.
10-09-2021, 06:25 AM
#23
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Greater Peoria, IL -- just moved!
Posts: 6,165
Oh! and I'm past editing time but I keep forgetting to comment on Nana's beautiful handwork. I am so pleased and happy that you are sharing your skills and beauty with the rest of us! Keep up the good work. I am just in awe
10-09-2021, 06:27 AM
#24
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Waterford Michigan
Posts: 7,241
I am not going to participate in this month's VQW but look forward to seeing what everyone else is doing. Everyone have fun.
I am still not on my feet after COVID. I am one week out of the hospital today. and have a block sitting on my cutting table now for over a month. If I could stand on my own two feet I would be working on that. Everyone have loads of fun.
I am still not on my feet after COVID. I am one week out of the hospital today. and have a block sitting on my cutting table now for over a month. If I could stand on my own two feet I would be working on that. Everyone have loads of fun.
10-09-2021, 07:09 AM
#25
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: South Central Indiana
Posts: 1,931
Hi everyone, just got home yesterday from back to back retreats, so I may not be sewing much. But I have a ton of putting away to do! and another retreat coming up the 21st so I need to plan some projects for that one. I would like to attach the binding to my Omigosh quilt though, so maybe...
10-09-2021, 07:24 AM
#26
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Posts: 4,016
thimblebug6000 and GingerK--Happy Thanksgiving!
SusieQOH--is that the All the Trimmings mystery quilt by Fat Quarter Shop? I have my top done but haven't done the Halloween one yet. I was disappointed but not surprised the Yankees were eliminated first round. I'm rooting for the Rays now; I too watch til the bitter end!
railroadersbrat--I would remake the hourglass units and start with at least 7 1/2 inch squares, assuming your unfinished block is 6 1/2 and you're sewing four of them together to get the 12 1/2 inch blocks.
juliasb--glad you're home from the hospital and able to take it easy.
Sounds like there is enough interest in a VQW the last weekend in November so I will put that on my calendar.
I started working on the placemats yesterday and pulling projects for a November retreat. Didn't get too far yesterday; hopefully will be more ambitious today!
SusieQOH--is that the All the Trimmings mystery quilt by Fat Quarter Shop? I have my top done but haven't done the Halloween one yet. I was disappointed but not surprised the Yankees were eliminated first round. I'm rooting for the Rays now; I too watch til the bitter end!
railroadersbrat--I would remake the hourglass units and start with at least 7 1/2 inch squares, assuming your unfinished block is 6 1/2 and you're sewing four of them together to get the 12 1/2 inch blocks.
juliasb--glad you're home from the hospital and able to take it easy.
Sounds like there is enough interest in a VQW the last weekend in November so I will put that on my calendar.
I started working on the placemats yesterday and pulling projects for a November retreat. Didn't get too far yesterday; hopefully will be more ambitious today!
10-09-2021, 09:13 AM
#27
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,867
I am late starting - I had an app't out of town yesterday. I will start to FMQ a baby quilt as soon as I decide on a color of thread. Arkansas Crossroads in bright scraps. What color works with the 16 patches and the white roads? Because it didn't start as a baby quilt, the colors aren't what I would have chosen. I may try a pink thread just to see if I can make it more appropriate for a little girl.
10-09-2021, 11:12 AM
#29
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: Gainesville, Missouri
Posts: 520
Good afternoon everyone!
I'm getting a slow start to my day, fiance decided to help out our neighbor across the road yesterday and we ended up staying up until 6am, so I'm just now getting myself into my quilting corner.
So the picture that finally attached is one corner of the quilt top, the empty spot is where the hour glasses will go, so the leaves will be surrounding the hour glasses. After talking to my fiance about this and seeing what everyone said here, I'm going to go ahead and remake the blocks, but I am going to try and tear down at least one to see if I can make up the difference. Since QSTs are such a pain, I think I'm going to go super generous and cut the new ones at 8 inches and trim down. I just wish I had remembered to make that change in the book the last time I did this pattern, LOL.
I'm getting a slow start to my day, fiance decided to help out our neighbor across the road yesterday and we ended up staying up until 6am, so I'm just now getting myself into my quilting corner.
So the picture that finally attached is one corner of the quilt top, the empty spot is where the hour glasses will go, so the leaves will be surrounding the hour glasses. After talking to my fiance about this and seeing what everyone said here, I'm going to go ahead and remake the blocks, but I am going to try and tear down at least one to see if I can make up the difference. Since QSTs are such a pain, I think I'm going to go super generous and cut the new ones at 8 inches and trim down. I just wish I had remembered to make that change in the book the last time I did this pattern, LOL.
10-09-2021, 11:28 AM
#30
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Wis
Posts: 5,928
I had 4 sections of a Halloween quilt that I finished last time. Those are now sewn together and I need to figure out a border. I’m planning on also working some more on a Moda Christmas quilt. I don’t remember the name off hand, but it’s a black background with red/cream/limey green blocks. There’s also an owl and a gnome and some mushroom blocks.
